Senator Sweet Caroline?

posted at 2:00 pm on December 5, 2008 by Ed Morrissey

With Hillary Clinton resigning from her Senate seat for an appointment as Secretary of State, speculation has already begun as to whom New York Governor David Paterson will appoint to replace her. Bill Clinton removed himself from the running earlier this week, but new speculation has another dynasty member as a potential candidate. Caroline Kennedy, the publicity-shy daughter of martyred President John Kennedy, involved herself in Barack Obama’s campaign and may get the nod:

Another Senator Kennedy? The crazy speculation about Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat may not be so crazy after all. A Democrat who would know tells ABC News that New York governor David Paterson has talked to Caroline Kennedy about taking the seat, which was once held by her uncle, Robert F. Kennedy. It’s not exactly shocking that Paterson would reach out to one of the most highly respected public figures in New York, but this is: Sources say Kennedy is considering it, and has not ruled out coming to Washington to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate.

A few years ago, the famously private Caroline Kennedy would be the last Kennedy expected to serve in Congress, but of course, she took on a much more high-profile role during the presidential campaign and, if she does it, would be more than New York’s junior Senator; she’d have closer ties to the Obama White House than any of her colleagues, a direct line to the East Wing.

When Robert Kennedy, Jr. took himself out of the running for the seat earlier this week, he told Jonathan Hicks of the New York Times, “Caroline Kennedy would be the perfect choice if she would agree to it.” And one more thing: We hear that President-elect Obama has made it clear that he thinks Caroline Kennedy would be a great choice.

Any choice would be better than Bill Clinton, as I wrote over the holidays. But Caroline Kennedy hasn’t worked in the public sphere at all prior to Obama’s campaign. What specifically besides her last name makes her more qualified to represent New York than people already elected to office by the people of the state?

It appears that people want to settle for name brands rather than appoint or vote for people of substance. That argument can certainly be made with Barack Obama, but the name-brand impulse precedes him by decades. Both parties indulge in it. The Bushes have three generations in national politics, and more on the way. The Kennedys have four, and counting. The Clintons only have one, but they’ve managed to make it work for twenty years, and Chelsea’s waiting in the wings. She might have gotten considered for this opening except for the age requirement.

Although the Cuomos have a dynasty going in the state of New York, one might think Andrew Cuomo would make a better choice. At least Cuomo ran for an office and has a track record on public policy, even if we disagree with it. Instead of looking for publicity stunts, Paterson would be better advised to find people who have built a record on policy and have at least some concrete evidence of backing from the people of the state. We already have too many beginners at the top level of national politics.

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Sheeple buy/vote for what they’re told. If you advertise well (spend lots of $$ on propaganda), then you will win at getting your ‘point’ across (never mind it may be lies, or partial truth) & people will mindlessly pick the ‘name brand’.

I have a Democrat teacher in my school who really thinks Ted Kennedy ‘cares’ & he’s not a politician for the power. She would vote for any Kenedy bcs they seem to ‘care’.
Disgusting.

Well.. that was supposed to be JFK Jr.’s Senate Seat before his unfortunate accident… so whatever. As for name brand over experience and policies… didn’t the 2008 Presidential election kinda confirm this was the case.

It appears that people want to settle for name brands rather than appoint or vote for people of substance.

Bingo!

The whole Obama campaign was nothing than the biggest marketing effort in American history… and it yielded big dividends, too.

Name brands carry reputations with them. It doesn’t matter if the brand is deficient. The need to be with the “in” crowd rules everything else. Name brands that the marketers need to damage will do so with the most sophisticated negative campaign tactics available. Many times, it works, too.

That’s why I have been thinking about this for a good while, and have concluded that the GOP as a brand is so badly damaged, more by external factors (the MSM has painted the party as “Nazis”, “KKK”, “racists”, “sexists”, “bigots”, etc… so effectively that any hate crime against a Republican is acceptable nowadays) and internal ones. The elephant needs to retire or be euthanized. A new party needs to rise from this, with a clean slate. And soon.

Well, we are going to do that eventually. Palin will most likely be the last name of two prominent female politicians – Sarah and Piper.

However, I expect Piper to actually learn to govern and not simply have a great last name and winsome smile. (She’s already got the winsome smile down, but I expect more out of her when she’s in her 30s.)

Well, we are going to do that eventually. Palin will most likely be the last name of two prominent female politicians – Sarah and Piper.

However, I expect Piper to actually learn to govern and not simply have a great last name and winsome smile. (She’s already got the winsome smile down, but I expect more out of her when she’s in her 30s.)

kybowexar on December 5, 2008 at 2:20 PM

Shhhhhhhhh!!! Hush! Leave Piper alone!

She’s too young for that stuff just yet! Besides, don’t you know that Liberals are checking every corner of this country for the next Conservative superstar? Of course, they are – so they could kill him/her before he/she ever sees the political light of day.

They WANT for us to talk about our hopes… so they can start killing them as swiftly as possible.

Mind you, I am not trying to be disrespectful to either JKF or Caroline and I think her being appointed a senator is a bottom story. It’s New York, and who cares except maybe Chuck Schumer. To be honest, I don’t see her husband enjoying this prospect.

Patterson can earn himself a world of goodwill that could help him hold onto the Governorship when the next election cycle arrives if he appoints someone from the NYS Senate or Assembly who resides well north of Yonkers.

And JFK Jr., whom you can bet would get the seat if still alive, was a martyr for planes? I dunno. Never mind.

MB4 on December 5, 2008 at 2:34 PM

Who knew very little about them – not enough to take a wonderfully instrument loaded sophisticated plane, and save his and two other women’s lives. He was an idiot. If that would have qualified him to be a Senator from New York, then they deserve her, and him.

So a president-elect with no experience or qualifications for the job of president thinks that the best choice for a Senate-appointee would be a woman with no experience or qualifications for the job of Senator. Imagine that.

Actually, now that I think about it, the great William F. Buckley’s advice is in order. Randomly open up the white pages, then throw a dart. Whoever it is, will be better for us than any ivy league educated twit, or career politican from NY! I hereby withdraw Al D’Amato as a suggestion (and wish I could see him and Ed Koch hammer Mark Green on TV.)

Actually, now that I think about it, the great William F. Buckley’s advice is in order. Randomly open up the white pages, then throw a dart. Whoever it is, will be better for us than any ivy league educated twit, or career politican from NY! I hereby withdraw Al D’Amato as a suggestion (and wish I could see him and Ed Koch hammer Mark Green on TV.)

Webrider on December 5, 2008 at 3:03 PM

Speaking of William F. Buckley and Ivy League twits, I noticed that NRO brought down their little fundraising “thermometer” today, not having achieved even half of their goal in the past two weeks.

I think they are a little bit like the Detroit Three, in that they don’t realize that, while people may buy their SUV’s (that would be people like Steyn, Hanson, Sowell), the management/editorial policy team (that would be Lowry, Ponnuru, Lopez and yes, Goldberg) leaves something to be desired.

Overrun by immigrants and teetering on the edge of bankruptcy? You’re right — Ted Kennedy bears much of the responsibility for many of the problems that are threatening to destroy this country today.

AZCoyote on December 5, 2008 at 3:06 PM

How painfully true. I just got rear ended by an illegal immigrant yesterday with no insurance. The police were utterly useless as usual. Our country diserves what we get for being so stupid to tollerate this madness.

Mind you, I am not trying to be disrespectful to either JKF or Caroline and I think her being appointed a senator is a bottom story. It’s New York, and who cares except maybe Chuck Schumer. To be honest, I don’t see her husband enjoying this prospect.

But I really do have a problem with the JFK-as-martyr thing.

Maybe it’s a generational thing for Ed.

BigD on December 5, 2008 at 2:29 PM

A martyr for what might have been. I am hazarding a guess the left pines for the Kennedy they were never able to fully enjoy. He is not considered for his human qualities, but for the saintly qualities these people believe he has after the assasination.

As far as you having a problem with the idea that people consider him martyr material-I’m afraid I can’t help you there. As a child of baby boomers, I can get the gist of it myself. It’s not a problem for me.
I also don’t see that Ed’s being ‘disrespectful’ of either JFK or Caroline.
If people are going to whine about Clinton & Bush dynasties, then they should be whining about a Kennedy dynasty as well.

O/T,Rush said a few miutes ago,that,Coleman is up
by 238 votes,and the recount is over!?

canopfor on December 5, 2008 at 2:12 PM

Rush would say that. Hannity said it was over last week.

The recount is over everywhere except Minneapolis where they lost 130 ballots, but now comes the challenged ballots phase, what to do with unopened absentee ballots ballots phase, and inevitable court phase.

He is a conservative martyr now because he was killed by an America hating lefty.

PS Lee Harvey’s politics were very much the same as BHO’s mum .

DeweyWins on December 5, 2008 at 2:13 PM

Excellent point. I know the Right likes to point that out-but to me from what I understand of the man, I would not have liked all he was doing at the time.
I don’t think his assassination was a good thing, but he probably wouldn’t have done America any favors if he had stayed in office.
But then Bush II didn’t, either. And neither would McCain if he’d have won.

Another Columbia/Harvard indoctrinated sycophant, with a recognizable name and no experience- what could go wrong?

Even more awesome news – her foundation the “Profiles in Courage” gave their highest award to none other than Kofi Annan(2002), John Murtha(2006), and Jennifer Brunner(2008).

From Wiki:

“The Profile in Courage Award is a private award given to recognize displays of courage similar to those John F. Kennedy described in his book Profiles in Courage. It is given to individuals (often elected officials) who, by acting in accord with their conscience, risked their careers or lives by pursuing a larger vision of the national, state or local interest in opposition to popular opinion or pressure from constituents or other local interests.”

When you read that don’t you think of Jennifer (Ohio ACORN hump) Brunner? Stop laughing.

To quote Honoré de Balzac: “Behind every great fortune there is a great crime.”

The Kennedy dynasty owes its place in history to the criminal activities of Joseph Kennedy. It does make one wonder about the Obama dynasty, and the crime behind it.

I know this is a conservative blog, but I have to call you out abut “crime” dynasties. Joe Kennedy built his family on illegal activities and the Bush family has the same shady past. And don’t get me talking about George W.

But the Obama cabal is bringing in the same criminal mentality, but on the other side. Nothing ever really changes…

I won’t say here what it is that I (think) and thought of Caroline Kennedy when I saw her standing next to Obama on stage at the DNC, after having learned that Bill Ayers dedicated his book, Prarie Fire, to the man who shot her uncle dead.

So let’s just that it rhymes with Bore, Gore, or “what have you”.

And btw, it wasn’t a gender-based “smear”. She could’ve been Carl Kennedy for all I care. The tag would’ve remained the same.

Ergo, it was just my pesky damn principles getting in the way and bringing on my reaction, since I could NEVER visualize my sister’s, brother’s, or my own children doing such a thing 40 years hence, given the same set of circumstances.

Ps. My name? Short for Theodore. Not Edward. Don’t know how the hell they got Teddy out of what should be Eddy.

Barry O, the friend of the domestic terrorist Bill Ayers – who gave honorable mention to Sirhan Sirhan (the assassin of Robert Kennedy) in the front of his terrorist manifesto Prairie Fire.
Does Caroline even know or care that her uncle’s assassin is honored by a close 30 year associate of the president-elect?

Mind you, I am not trying to be disrespectful to either JKF or Caroline and I think her being appointed a senator is a bottom story. It’s New York, and who cares except maybe Chuck Schumer. To be honest, I don’t see her husband enjoying this prospect.

But I really do have a problem with the JFK-as-martyr thing.

Maybe it’s a generational thing for Ed.

BigD on December 5, 2008 at 2:29 PM

The left has made him into a martyr for the civil rights movement and for the progressive movement as a whole. Never mind that he was cool towards the civil rights movement and was an anti-communist.

To quote Honoré de Balzac: “Behind every great fortune there is a great crime.”
…It does make one wonder about the Obama dynasty, and the crime behind it.
conservative_in_texas on December 5, 2008 at 4:00 PM

Great reference. Watch for Larry Sincalir’s book after the first of the year. “Barack Obama and Larry Sinclair… Cocaine, Sex lies and Murder?”
The story of Obama’s greatly corrupted character and indecency to say the least.

Why not just rename the Senate the “House of Lords”. It’s beginning to sound as thought Senate seats have become somewhat hereditary. At least if your a Democrat. Qualifications? Besides, of course, being a Kennedy.

Oh well, what’s another pretty face without much experience, any way? Hope and change and all that sort of thing. Seriously, would it be too much to ask the Dems to at least look for some one with real governmental experience to replace Senator Clinton?

Gracie: Thanks! I’ll look for the book in January!
Ah, January. Unlike Dan Rather, I am dreading the 20th. I’ll need a good book to keep my mind off of the current events, I’m just say’en.
conservative_in_texas on December 5, 2008 at 8:36 PM

You are welcome.
Until Caroline Kennedy endorsed BO, I believed she was the saving grace for the Kennedy’s…now I see her poor insight and lack of objectivity. Caroline co-authored 2 books..In Our Defense and Right To Privacy, both of which used our Constitution as a background. In time she will see how grossly flawed BO is and how unable he is to lead. If she becomes the Senator from NY taking HRC’s place, she will do a quietly respectful job. She is no leader, but a good woman.

Informed, insightful comments like this are what keeps me coming back for more!

benny shakar on December 5, 2008 at 11:56 PM

Well, given your affection for the “Palin is da debbil” sort of thinking, I would imagine you’d be more at home on a more leftward-leaning site that panders to such ignorance. Any of the moonbatty ones would do. Maybe you could enlighten many of your compadres on such vital information as who the Vice President-elect is.